Knight's Cross Holders
|upkeep = (per man) |prereq = |production_struc = Panzer Command |reinforce_cost = |health = |infantry_type = Heroic |weapon = 3xSturmgewehr 44 |num_slots = |speed = 5 m/s |num_products = |produces = |num_abilities = 3 |abilities = Medical Kit * The entire squad will slowly heal. * Costs to activate * Duration: 60 seconds * Cooldown: 60 seconds Panzerfaust * A squad member will shot a Panzerfaust a the targeted unit. * Requires first level of Veterancy * Costs to activate * Cooldown: 15 seconds Assault * Breaks supression and launch a volley of grenades at the target * Costs to activate * Cooldown: 20 seconds |num_upgrades = |upgrades = }} Knight's Cross Holders are an Axis heavy Infantry unit fielded by the Wehrmacht featured in Company of Heroes. Game Info The "Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross"(Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, or simply known as Ritterkreuz) was a level of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross was the second highest military order of the Third Reich, second only to the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross. It was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery and successful military leadership during World War II. Receiving the Knight's Cross was among the highest honours and was only awarded to the bravest, toughest and most battle hardened infantry/commanders/officers in the Wehrmacht Arms Force. The Knight's Cross Holders featured in Company of Heroes are a squad of elite infantry of the Wehrmacht; they are the toughest infantry in the game and count as heavy infantry. They are made up a squad of three, wearing high ranking officer uniforms and armed with Sturmgewehr44 assault rifles (MP 44). They are the infantry specifically designed to combat other infantry. Battle hardened, tough, and aggressive, they are capable of killing Infantry even when horribly outnumbered. As they are heavy infantry, they take less suppression and recover from such more quickly than other infantry. As they are armed with the STG 44 assault rifles, they are notorious for charging aggressively towards other infantry similar to the Stormtrooper Squad. They also have the Assault ability without purchasing it in the Blitzkrieg doctrine, allowing them to throw multiple grenades before charging closer towards the enemies with their weapons. A patch for Company Of Heroes has been released that gives the Knight's Cross Holders the ability to fire Panzerfausts. Being excellent at fighting infantry, they can fight with other Axis infantry such as Grenadier Squads, Volksgrenadier Squads, Panzer Grenadiers, Stormtrooper Squads and others. Using their assault ability, they can cut down multiple infantry squads before charging them with their weapons. Their assault ability also works on buildings and base structures. Using their superior close combat capability and firepower, Knight's Cross Holders along with other infantry can overwhelm the Allies's infantry when horribly outnumbered. The new patch also allows them to take on vehicles for small amount of munitions. They are also extremely good squads to place on guns such as the 88mm as they are capable of taking outrageous damage on these guns while at the same time preventing capture. Their superior combat capability, their aggressiveness, and their powerful assault weapons and ability make them among the best assault infantry in the game, perhaps only second to Stormtrooper Squads. Description Troops bestowed the honor of the Knight's Cross display the highest combat bravery possible, and are typically tough, brave, and resourceful in all aspects of combat. Armed with the STG 44 assault rifle, they can engage Allied infantry effectively at short range. Tips *It is worth keeping in mind, that MP44s actually do more damage on the move. *Knight's Cross Holders can take several sniper shots without dying, due to their Heroic Armor. On the other hand, they take much damage from flamers. *If Knight's Cross Holders capture the heavy weapon, one or two of them will still use their MP44s. *KCH's generally receive little benefit from Veterancy; they are already very strong. *They can use "Assault grenades" even if you haven't chose Blitz Doctrine, but because they have so few members, it is generally not worth it. *Patch 2.602 gave them a nice passive health regeneration, which can stack with Vet1, along with less damage taken from BARs, Brens and Tommyguns. All-in-all enough to make them good. *With vet2 they receive bigger bonuses against suppression than they already have, but will still get suppressed by activated BAR suppression. *The KCHs are not in themselves "über soldaten" of some kind, they offer no offensive bonuses to picked up or recrewed weapons (unlike Riflemen picking up LMGs, Shreks or BARs), only their high Hitpoints and Heroic Armor. If you recrew something with the KCHs you will lose the squad and they will die if the weapon they are crewing breaks down. Weakness Although powerful and tough, they are very expensive to train and field. They are available only at the final tier after Panzer Command is constructed. They also take a large amount of population cap, 6 population cap for 3 infantry per squad (2 population cap for 1 infantry). They are used cautiously as they are such valuable units that most Axis Commanders prefer to save them as reserve forces. Although tougher than all US infantry and the British elite infantry, the Commandos are capable of combating Knight's Cross Holders thanks to their superior firepower and better combat capability. Although less durable, the Commandos make up with numbers, as extra men and firepower are needed in combat. Axis Commanders mostly prefer other Wehrmacht infantry such as Stormtrooper Squads over the Knight's Cross Holders. In most multiplayer games, they are rarely seen on the battlefield, and even then there is usually just one or two squads. It is not recommended to use them on a large scale except versus a poor Allied commander. Also, the Knight's Cross Holders have basically nothing to fight heavy armor (in later patches, they have the ability to fire a panzerfaust to combat vehicles). In addition, with Infantry basically gone in favor of armor by the time you are able to train Knight's Cross Holders, they are of little use, especially considering the Ostwind Flakpanzer and the Panzer IVs aren't much more expensive to produce with more firepower to bear. Category:Infantry Category:Wehrmacht Units